The fastest growing segment in the PC computer industry is portable computing, including portables (15-20 lbs.), laptops (8-14 lbs), and notebooks (&lt;8 lbs). The portable segment is growing at an annual rate of 30-35%, compared to the 5-10% growth rate of desktop computers (measured in units). With 1990 revenue of $10B, the portable computing industry is expected to exceed $30B by 1994.
PC users want portability to allow use (extend access) beyond their home office to customer sites, to other office sites, and to their homes; e.g. a laptop allows users to gather data from customer sites and other remote locations and later integrate it into the home office computers (e.g. network). Also, data can be taken from a home office cluster to be presented to customers in outside sales efforts and to remote office workgroups. Further, managers and MIS/DP personnel can conveniently take work home, and remotely tie into the home office via modem, without purchasing two computers and having to deal with transferring information between them.
In general, users favor a portable PC to use as a general-purpose platform that can function equally well as a desktop workstation (e.g. in a cluster network) or as a portable offsite unit. Customers usually disfavor purchasing both a portable computer and a desktop computer for every user; rather, they want one system to function in both roles.
Portable computers present special design demands: they must be of rugged, durable construction; also they must be sufficiently small, compact and light weight to enable their being readily carried, held and manipulated for lap-top use. Also, due their portable nature, one must recognize that the computer will be employed in locations presenting diverse positional requirements and operational demands that must be accommodated. Further, it is desirable that such apparatus be sufficiently versatile to be used also as a desk top apparatus. Consequently, the apparatus must be readily convertible from one form to the other.
It is to the attainment of these objectives, therefore, to which the present invention is directed.
Thus, a need is recognized for a relatively simple portable adapter unit to allow quick, plug-in connection of a portable PC to a network (eg. CTOS network).
Accordingly, it is an object hereof to address at least some of the foregoing needs and to provide one or several of the foregoing, and other, solutions. A more particular object is to provide a portable network adapter for a P.C. Another object is to provide a "mini-dock adapter" which is relatively simple and inexpensive to implement.